
- BGG rank
- BGG #12,420
- BGG rating
- 8.0
Black Seas: Master & Commander Starter Set
- 2 players
- 30–500 min
- Complexity 3.3/5
- 2019

Rules assistance for Black Seas: Bomb Ketch Squadron
Plain-language explanations of turns, card effects and disputed situations, with official source references and saved question history.

What would you like to know?
Answers come from the official rulebook, with the page to check.
Black Seas: Bomb Ketch Squadron is an expansion for Black Seas: Rulebook released in 2020 for 2 players, 30–500 minutes per game, and ages 14 and up. It was designed by Gabrio Tolentino and its main mechanics are Simulation and Scenario / Mission / Campaign Game.
A bomb ketch’s primary armament was not cannon or carronade, but a mortar mounted near the bow elevated at a high angle, that employed explosive shells rather than solid shot. They were designed primarily as bombardment vessels (hence the name bomb ketch), and were deployed against fixed land positions. Though the British first employed a bomb vessel in 1347, it was the French who would develop a design (in the late 17th century) closer to those seen in the Age of Sail. The British copied and refined those designs over the next century, which led to two-masted ketches. Further development over the age of sail would result in bomb vessels designed as full-rigged ships (with three masts) – which allowed them to function as escort sloops between battles. A bomb ketch is treated as a small vessel in Black Seas with a mortar mounted on the bow. It functions similarly to a gunboat, but benefits from greater speed and durability. —description from the publisher's website
Black Seas: Bomb Ketch Squadron supports 2 players according to the catalogue. This is the publisher’s listed player count, so the game is designed for exactly that number of participants. Variants for other group sizes, if any, are described in the rulebook of your edition, so check it before setting up a different configuration.
The listed playing time for Black Seas: Bomb Ketch Squadron is 30–500 minutes. This is the publisher’s estimate for a full game. The actual duration depends on the group, the player count and familiarity with the rules: first sessions usually run longer, while experienced groups often finish faster. Setup and teaching time are not included in this estimate.
The catalogue lists Black Seas: Bomb Ketch Squadron for ages 14 and up. This is the publisher’s recommendation and reflects reading demands, rule complexity and small components rather than theme alone. Younger players can often join with help from an adult, so check the age guidance on your edition and consider your group’s experience with board games.
Black Seas: Bomb Ketch Squadron belongs to these categories: Wargame and Expansion for Base-game. Its main mechanics are Simulation and Scenario / Mission / Campaign Game. Categories describe the theme and setting of a game, while mechanics describe what players actually do on their turns. Each mechanic links to a catalogue hub with similar games, which helps when you want something comparable.
The credited designers of Black Seas: Bomb Ketch Squadron are: Gabrio Tolentino. These credits come from the published game data and name the people responsible for the game’s design, not its illustrators or publishers. Designer pages on MeepleRules collect other titles by the same designers, which helps when you enjoy a game and want to find similar ones.
The catalogue lists Black Seas: Bomb Ketch Squadron as an expansion for Black Seas: Rulebook. Expansions add new content, rules or scenarios to the base game and usually cannot be played on their own, so you need Black Seas: Rulebook to use it. Check that your edition of Black Seas: Rulebook is compatible, as some expansions were revised between editions.